National

BOSTON (AP) _ Boston's mayor says he will boycott the city's annual St. Patrick's Day parade unless gay groups are allowed to participate.

Mayor Martin Walsh says he's trying to broker a deal with parade organizers to allow a group of gay military veterans to march. The son of Irish immigrants said Wednesday that allowing gay groups to participate is ``long overdue.''

Parade organizers, however, appear unwilling to budge.

John ``Wacko'' Hurley said ``it's final'' that gay groups will continue to be excluded, pointing to a unanimous 1995 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing organizers to exclude gay and lesbian groups.

Hurley says Walsh ``is not in a position'' to overturn the court's decision.

The parade draws an estimated one million spectators every year to South Boston.